1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a current switching device controlled manually by a manual control element and comprising, in a box, a magnetic locking element with a permanent magnet that cooperates both with an actuation armature acting on a bridge of moving contacts cooperating with stationary contacts of a pole and with an opening armature that can be displaced by protective means that are sensitive to overloads or excess currents.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lock mechanisms are used in single- or multi-phased circuit breakers. A known mechanism comprises a manual control element (button) able to compress the springs that apply the moving contacts against the stationary contacts. Furthermore, this mechanism can receive opening orders from trip mechanisms that act to cause the rapid opening of the contacts. They almost always combine protection from overloads and from short circuits.
French patent 1,464,396 and British patent 1,355,035 describe magnetic-type mechanisms comprising a permanent magnet that works with an armature displaced by a trip mechanism, and an armature that is integral with the moving contact. The approach of the armature associated with the trip mechanism frees the armature that is integral with the moving contact. If it is desired to produce a device with several poles, just as many magnet mechanisms are necessary.